Yesterday, Senate Bill 261 officially went into effect in Texas, which prohibited the sale of cell-cultured protein, otherwise known as lab-grown meat, for human consumption in Texas for two years.
Per 25 News KXXV, traditional barbecue enthusiasts have praised the move, who believe that ranchers deserve protection from new competition.
Chad Wootan, owner of Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que in College Station, said, “I just trust, you know, our local beef growers, Texas beef growers, American beef growers. I feel like the local ranchers need all the protection they can get. It's a tough way to make a living, and we appreciate their hard work.”
Some critics of the bill say it “unfairly” protects the cattle industry from competition.
Paul Sherman, a senior attorney with the Institute for Justice, argued, "Its sole purpose is to keep an innovative new product out of the state so it won't compete with Texas's conventional agriculture industry.”
He added, “Texas is obviously the largest cattle state in the country, and I think the cattlemen are worried that this technology is going to develop and it's going to pose economic competition to them in the future, but that's not a legitimate use of government power.”
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